Nebraska Football Preview with Game Predictions

[Saunders]

The Blackshirts have b*tch-slapped much better QBs than Persa in recent years. He's going to be put through the wood chipper.

Blaine Gabbert, Landry Jones, Jake Locker, Nick Foles, Colt McCoy, Todd Reesing, and Josh Freeman agree with this post.

Yes but Northwestern does have a mild run game as well. Had Missery had any run game last year, they would have done MUCH better. They do their best to keep you honest and wait for an opening.

Washington, Oklahoma, and KState all had better running games than Mizzou. But, that still didn't help them that much.

Not my point, I am not saying you have alot to worry about with them, just saying, they are a little more balanced then some of the teams mentioned. I am just saying every D's goal is to make a team 1 dimensional, with Missery it was much easier than with Northwestern.

Facts show otherwise. Mizzou had higher YPC, more total rushing yards, more rushing TD's, and played the same amount of games.

 

[Enhance]

Not my point, I am not saying you have alot to worry about with them, just saying, they are a little more balanced then some of the teams mentioned. I am just saying every D's goal is to make a team 1 dimensional, with Missery it was much easier than with Northwestern.

According to rivals, Missouri ran for 1955 yards on 410 attempts and Northwestern ran for 1798 yards on 507 attempts. Northwestern ran the ball almost 100 more times for 150 less yards. Northwestern is "balanced" in the sense that they run the ball more, yes. But their production is not more balanced, therefore I don't think it really changes anything.

 

[ADS]

The Blackshirts have b*tch-slapped much better QBs than Persa in recent years. He's going to be put through the wood chipper.

Blaine Gabbert, Landry Jones, Jake Locker, Nick Foles, Colt McCoy, Todd Reesing, and Josh Freeman agree with this post.

Yes but Northwestern does have a mild run game as well. Had Missery had any run game last year, they would have done MUCH better. They do their best to keep you honest and wait for an opening.

Washington, Oklahoma, and KState all had better running games than Mizzou. But, that still didn't help them that much.

Not my point, I am not saying you have alot to worry about with them, just saying, they are a little more balanced then some of the teams mentioned. I am just saying every D's goal is to make a team 1 dimensional, with Missery it was much easier than with Northwestern.

My point is, all of the NW games I watched last year, not once did I see any sort of running game that could be compared to what kstate, Washington, OU, or even Mizzou threw at the Blackshirts.

 

[knapplc]

Northwestern's running game isn't all that impressive. They ended up 58th in the nation with 2,000 total yards and a 3.64 YPC average. That's hardly a run game that'll keep opponents honest.

Persa is a decent QB, and he'll be someone we have to bring our 'A' game against, but he's not a world-beater, and he's not a legit Heisman candidate. He won five games against D1 opponents last year, none of whom ranked in the top 25 in Pass Defense. The two best pass defenses he beat, Central Michigan (39th) and Minnesota (33rd), are so highly ranked against the pass because they suck so bad against the run (81st and 98th, respectively).

Persa was also beaten by teams with pretty weak pass defenses, in particular Michigan State (60th against the pass) where he went 18/29, 187 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT.

By way of comparison, Nebraska was fifth in the county last year against the pass, without mounting much of a pass rush. Even if we're not any better rushing the passer than we were last year (which I think we will be), we should have no trouble against Persa's arm.

 

[Enhance]

By way of comparison, Nebraska was fifth in the county last year against the pass, without mounting much of a pass rush. Even if we're not any better rushing the passer than we were last year (which I think we will be), we should have no trouble against Persa's arm.

That's the scary thing about Nebraska. Our pass defense isn't great because of our pass rush in many cases but because of the talent in the back field. And when we do get a scary good player like Suh, it just makes it that more dominating.

 

[knapplc]

By way of comparison, Nebraska was fifth in the county last year against the pass, without mounting much of a pass rush. Even if we're not any better rushing the passer than we were last year (which I think we will be), we should have no trouble against Persa's arm.

That's the scary thing about Nebraska. Our pass defense isn't great because of our pass rush in many cases but because of the talent in the back field. And when we do get a scary good player like Suh, it just makes it that more dominating.

With Steinkuhler being a Junior and Crick a Senior, and with the addition by subtraction of losing Allen (sorry, Pierre, but there was no rush from your side too often), I think this year's line could approach the havoc-wreaking of the 2009 line.

Of course nobody on the line is even close to being another Suh, but overall with EMart/Ankrah, Steinkuhler, Crick and The Stache, I see this as a very disruptive front four. If Compton and Fisher can live up to the hype surrounding their recruitment and if David can be even close to what he was last year, this could be an absolutely fearsome front seven.

EMart was ripping right past blocks in the Spring Game, and made several hustle plays. If that wasn't just Spring Game mirage and he's actually getting the hang of DE, it's going to be a hell of a show this Fall.

 

[Saunders]

By way of comparison, Nebraska was fifth in the county last year against the pass, without mounting much of a pass rush. Even if we're not any better rushing the passer than we were last year (which I think we will be), we should have no trouble against Persa's arm.

That's the scary thing about Nebraska. Our pass defense isn't great because of our pass rush in many cases but because of the talent in the back field. And when we do get a scary good player like Suh, it just makes it that more dominating.

With Steinkuhler being a Junior and Crick a Senior, and with the addition by subtraction of losing Allen (sorry, Pierre, but there was no rush from your side too often), I think this year's line could approach the havoc-wreaking of the 2009 line.

Of course nobody on the line is even close to being another Suh, but overall with EMart/Ankrah, Steinkuhler, Crick and The Stache, I see this as a very disruptive front four. If Compton and Fisher can live up to the hype surrounding their recruitment and if David can be even close to what he was last year, this could be an absolutely fearsome front seven.

EMart was ripping right past blocks in the Spring Game, and made several hustle plays. If that wasn't just Spring Game mirage and he's actually getting the hang of DE, it's going to be a hell of a show this Fall.

God I hope he's for real. Him and the Camstache could be amazing.

 

[bigg10]

Northwestern's running game isn't all that impressive. They ended up 58th in the nation with 2,000 total yards and a 3.64 YPC average. That's hardly a run game that'll keep opponents honest.

Persa is a decent QB, and he'll be someone we have to bring our 'A' game against, but he's not a world-beater, and he's not a legit Heisman candidate. He won five games against D1 opponents last year, none of whom ranked in the top 25 in Pass Defense. The two best pass defenses he beat, Central Michigan (39th) and Minnesota (33rd), are so highly ranked against the pass because they suck so bad against the run (81st and 98th, respectively).

Persa was also beaten by teams with pretty weak pass defenses, in particular Michigan State (60th against the pass) where he went 18/29, 187 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT.

By way of comparison, Nebraska was fifth in the county last year against the pass, without mounting much of a pass rush. Even if we're not any better rushing the passer than we were last year (which I think we will be), we should have no trouble against Persa's arm.

Fair enough, what was Ok ranking in rushing O?

 

[ADS]

Northwestern's running game isn't all that impressive. They ended up 58th in the nation with 2,000 total yards and a 3.64 YPC average. That's hardly a run game that'll keep opponents honest.

Persa is a decent QB, and he'll be someone we have to bring our 'A' game against, but he's not a world-beater, and he's not a legit Heisman candidate. He won five games against D1 opponents last year, none of whom ranked in the top 25 in Pass Defense. The two best pass defenses he beat, Central Michigan (39th) and Minnesota (33rd), are so highly ranked against the pass because they suck so bad against the run (81st and 98th, respectively).

Persa was also beaten by teams with pretty weak pass defenses, in particular Michigan State (60th against the pass) where he went 18/29, 187 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT.

By way of comparison, Nebraska was fifth in the county last year against the pass, without mounting much of a pass rush. Even if we're not any better rushing the passer than we were last year (which I think we will be), we should have no trouble against Persa's arm.

Fair enough, what was Ok ranking in rushing O?

Oklahoma had 578 total attempts for 1,932 total rushing yards and 23 touchdowns.

 

[bigg10]

Northwestern's running game isn't all that impressive. They ended up 58th in the nation with 2,000 total yards and a 3.64 YPC average. That's hardly a run game that'll keep opponents honest.

Persa is a decent QB, and he'll be someone we have to bring our 'A' game against, but he's not a world-beater, and he's not a legit Heisman candidate. He won five games against D1 opponents last year, none of whom ranked in the top 25 in Pass Defense. The two best pass defenses he beat, Central Michigan (39th) and Minnesota (33rd), are so highly ranked against the pass because they suck so bad against the run (81st and 98th, respectively).

Persa was also beaten by teams with pretty weak pass defenses, in particular Michigan State (60th against the pass) where he went 18/29, 187 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT.

By way of comparison, Nebraska was fifth in the county last year against the pass, without mounting much of a pass rush. Even if we're not any better rushing the passer than we were last year (which I think we will be), we should have no trouble against Persa's arm.

Fair enough, what was Ok ranking in rushing O?

Oklahoma had 578 total attempts for 1,932 total rushing yards and 23 touchdowns.

Alright then, what you are saying is Northwestern had more yards rushing than OU, now what about national ranking? Also by those numbers OU avg was 3 per carry.

 

[ADS]

Northwestern's running game isn't all that impressive. They ended up 58th in the nation with 2,000 total yards and a 3.64 YPC average. That's hardly a run game that'll keep opponents honest.

Persa is a decent QB, and he'll be someone we have to bring our 'A' game against, but he's not a world-beater, and he's not a legit Heisman candidate. He won five games against D1 opponents last year, none of whom ranked in the top 25 in Pass Defense. The two best pass defenses he beat, Central Michigan (39th) and Minnesota (33rd), are so highly ranked against the pass because they suck so bad against the run (81st and 98th, respectively).

Persa was also beaten by teams with pretty weak pass defenses, in particular Michigan State (60th against the pass) where he went 18/29, 187 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT.

By way of comparison, Nebraska was fifth in the county last year against the pass, without mounting much of a pass rush. Even if we're not any better rushing the passer than we were last year (which I think we will be), we should have no trouble against Persa's arm.

Fair enough, what was Ok ranking in rushing O?

Oklahoma had 578 total attempts for 1,932 total rushing yards and 23 touchdowns.

Alright then, what you are saying is Northwestern had more yards rushing than OU, now what about national ranking?

According to rivals:

Northwestern 70th

Oklahoma 62nd

 

[bigg10]

And according to FBS rankings it was more like OU 83rd and Northwestern 58th.

 

[bigg10]

Deal is Ou had more att's and less yardage.

 

[Saunders]

And according to FBS rankings it was more like OU 83rd and Northwestern 58th.

I don't know what you're trying to accomplish. Northwestern was an average rushing offense. That's a fact.

 

[ADS]

And according to FBS rankings it was more like OU 83rd and Northwestern 58th.

And ESPN has Northwestern 53rd and OU 60th. But as Enhance and Knapp said earlier, its not all that impressive. Neither is OU's, I take back that I said OU's running game was "better" than Northwesterns. But, OU had a far better offense than Northwestern, and it wasn't even close.